Splicing machine for thread and yarn



S p 30, 1939 H. J. MURPHY SPLICING MACHINE FOR THREAD AND YARN Filed Sept. 4, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Sept. 30, 1930. H. J. MURPHY SPLICING MACHINE FOR THREAD AND YARN Filed Sept. 4, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

(Y WM BY ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 30, 1930.

H. J. MURPHY SPLICING MACHINE FOR THREAD AND YARN Filed Sept. 4, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VEN TOR. y i w w A TTORNEYS.-

Patented Sept. 36, 193i) STATES PATENT FFICE HENRY J. MURPHY, OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO BIBB MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MACON, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA SPLICING MACHINE FOE THREAD AND YARN Application filed September 4, 1929.

In winding thread or yarn it often becomes necessary to splice together ends of the same to provide an unbroken winding of the material. This is accomplished by separating the strands of the ends to bejoined and then twisting together ends of opposite strands, the connected strands are then twisted together to complete the splice. The splicing is mainly done by hand, but as there are at least six strands to be manipulated by the operator and as he can handle but one or two at a time, machines have been provided for holding the ends of the thread and also the individual strands, for it is essential that the original twist be maintained in the thread ends and in the individual strands. These previous machines include clamps for temporarily holding the thread and strand ends, but these clamps are provided with indi- 29 vidual means to be manually operated to release each clamp from the particular end held by it. This manual operation of the individual clamps requires considerable time and often the clamps are opened in the wrong sequence, resulting in imperfect splices.

The principal object of the instant invention is to provide a common means for releasing the clamps in the proper sequence, this means being controlled by a single memher, which is actuated but once by the operator to release all the clamps. The invention also has other objects, hereinafter referred to in the detail description.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated by the are companying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings. in which similar reference numbers designate corresponding parts,

igure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a splicing machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the base board.

Figures is a front elevation of the base board.

Figure 5 5c is a detail view, showing a side Serial No. 380,386.

"iew of the cam-plate for actuating the clamps.

Figure 6 is a detail view, showing an end view of one of the sets of clamping plates mounted on a post, parts being broken away.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 8 is a plan View of a set of clamping plat-es separate from the post.

Figure 9 is a detail view, showing the operating handle for the cam-plate.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the main frame of the machine.

Figure 11 is a cross-section on the line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Figure 12 is a front elevation of the main frame.

Figure 18 is an end view of the same.

Figures l4r16 show elevations of the lifting rods.

Figures 17 and 18, respectively, show plan views of aguide plate and a cutting blade of one of the clamp sets.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 20 designates a baseboard on which the machine is mounted. The main frame of the machine, on which are mounted the operative parts, comprises an elongated base plate 21 of a generally rectangular shape secured at its corners on the base board and a series of posts, respectively designated as 22, 23, 24;, 25 and 26, projecting vertically from the base plate and integral therewith. These posts are alined in spaced relation and projecting from the upper end of each is a horizontal flange 27 with a front beveled edge,

at 28. in each of the flanges 27 is a central opening 29 vertically registering with an opening 30 in the base plate and in the base board. Mounted in the vertical openings 22 and 30 of each post is a lifting rod 31 having vertical play therein. On each lifting rod is av coiled spring 32 compressed between the flange 2. and a pin 33 extending transversely through an opening 34 (Figs. 1i16) in the lifting rod, the spring normally tending to press the rod downward. For a purpose that will be explained further on, the springs 32 on the lifting rods mounted in the end posts 22 and 26 are formed to exert greater pressure on their rods than the n'essure exerted by the s-;prings on the rods unnlnted in the intermediate and central posts 23-25.

Projecting from the rear side of each of the lifting rods 31 mounted in the end posts 22 and 26 a lug 35 beveled toward its outer end. as at 36. The lug projects over the rear part of the adjacent flange 27 and is normally pressed into contact with the same by the spring 32 on the lifting rod carrying the lug. ()n the upper end of each of the lifting rods 31 mounted in the intermediate and central. posts 23 u5 are the guide plate 37 and the shield or guard plate 38, Figs. 68. The guard plate is above the guide plate and both plates are secured in place by a screw 39 passing through the plates into the end of the lifting rod. The two plates are alike in shape, except that the guide plate is beveled at its front edges. as at 40, Fig. 6. Both plates are notched at their ends, as at 41, and both are recessed at their front parts, as at 42, Figs. 7-8. Clamped between the two plates is the blace 43 having cutting edges registering with the notches 41 of the clamping plates. The blade also has a. recess in its front part to correspond with recesses 42 of the clampin plates.

The spring 32 on each lifting rod carrying a set of associated guard and guide plates and blade normally tends to press the set toward the flange 27 of the post carrying the rod.

Mounted to slide on the base plate 21 is the elongated cam-plate 44, held upright on a longitudinal edge between the posts 23-26 and the lifting rods 31. In the upper part of the cam-plate is av series of cam-faces 45, 46. 47. 4'8 and 4-9 inclined at an acute angle from the horizontal. On each lifting rod 31, is mounted a. roller 50 engaged by one of the (Hill-{HOPE of the. cam-plate. Each roller is join-called on a pin 51 threaded in the respective lifting rod and the head of the pin is finished to provide a sliding fit in the ve tical slot 52 of the adjacent post. As the lifting bar is vertically moved in its bcarings. the head of the screw sliding in the slot prevents turning of the rod on its longitudinal axis. The rollers carried by the liftiug rods mounted in the end posts 522 and 9.6 are of the same diameter, which is slightlv greater than the diameter of the rollers can ried bv the rods mounted in the intermediate posts 2? and 25, and the diameter of the roller carried by the rod of the central post 24 is slightly 1e. than the diameter of the rolls carried by the rods mounted in the intermediate posts. The diameters of the different rollers and the inclinations of the cam-faces are such that when the cam-plate is moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 2. the lifting rods are successively raised against the action of their springs. First, the rods mounted in the end posts 22 and 26 are raised and simultaneously lift their respectivc lugs from the adjacent flanges 9T, xhen, shortly thereafter, the rods mounted in the intermediate posts 23 and 25 are raised and their respective sets of associated clamping plates and blade are lifted from the adjacent flanges; and finally, as the movement of the cam-plate continues, the remaining rod mounted in the central post 2% is raised and its set of associated clamping plates and blade is lifted from the flange 27 of the adjacent post.

The cam-plate is provided with a notch 53 (Figs. 2 and 5) with which engages an end of the lever 5st pivoted to the base plate 21. By mea s of the lever the cam-plate can be moved to actuate the lifting rods. lVhen the lever is released after moving the cam plate to the right from the position shown in Fig. 2, the rollers pressed by the springs 32 against the cam-faces l5-49 return the camplate to its initial position. This movement of the cam-plate releases the lifting rods so that they are forced downward by their spri gs to press the beveled lugs and sets of associated clamping plates and blade upon the flanges of their respective posts.

On the base board 20, in front of one end of the machine proper, is mounted a standard 55 carrying at its upper end a spring clip 56, and to the rear of the other end of the machine a second standard 57 is mounted on the base board and carries a spring clip The front standard 55 is about the same it as the posts of the machine frame, hi the rear standard 58 is considerably higher to accommodate the operator in the manipulation of the thread. Secured to the front part of thebase board 20 is a spring-leaf clip 59.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine is being utilized to splice the end of the thread or yarn A to he wound on the spool S with the end of the thread or yarn B. In the operation of the machine, the operator ii :t untwists for a short distance the end of the thread A and separates the three. st ands a, {I and c, and at the point of separation he hooks the thread under the pin 35 at the left hand end of the machine. Two of the strands, 0 and (I are stretched from ll 0 pin to the temporary clamp 5758 to be held thereby the third strand (0 is and strc'ched and held by the clamp 59 on the 'l'icntedge of the base plate 21. This temporarily disposes of the thread A. The end of the thread B is then untwisted for a short distance and the three strands d, e and are separated. At the point of separation, the thread B is hooked under the pin 35 at the right hand end of the machine. Two of the strands e and f, are stretched to the clamp 5556 to be held temporarily thereby and the third strand (Z, is stretched beneath the clamp 59. \Vith the strands so disposed, they are temporarily held so as to retain their tendency to retwist when permitted to do so; also, the pins are clamped on the threads A and B at the points where separation of the strands commences and further separation or untwisting is prevented during the manipulation of the strands in forming the splice.

In forming the splice, the operator facing the machine takes strand a in his right hand and the strand cl in his left and draws the two strands together across each other in front of the post25. The overlapping parts of the strand are wound around each other for several turns and thus wound the two strands are drawn taut beneath the clamp member 37 coacting with the flange 27 of tis post to hold the wound strands together. The free ends of the strands are then drawn upwardly through the notches 41 at the opposite ends clamping "plates and across the edges of the knife 43 to be severed thereby. T he guard plate 38 positioned over the knife prevents injury to the operators hands and th beveled part a0 to the guide plate 37 and the beveled edge to the flange 27 facilitate the handling of the strands. In the same way the strands Z) and e are manipulated and held by the clamp mounted on the post 24; likewise, the strands c and f are joined and held by the clamp mounted on the post 23.

During the foregoing manipulation of the strands, the cam-plate 4A remains at the left, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. After all strands have been joined and clamped, by

means of the lever 54ithe cam-plate is moved to the ri ht from the position shown in Figs. 1-2. In this connection it is to be noted that the rollers 50 mounted on the lifting rods 31 carried by the end posts 22 and 26 are of larger diameter than that of the rollers on the intermediate lifting rods. As the camplate moves to the right, the cam-faces 4:5 and 4.9 respectively, engaging the larger rollers 50 of the end rods 31 simultaneously ii ft these rods and the pins 35 are first lifted to releare the threads or yarns A and B at those points. Shortly after the pins 35 are lifted, the cam-faces 46 and 48 acting on the smaller rollers 50 of the adjacent rods, lift the latter to raise the clamping members Y- S on the intermediate posts 23 and 25, thereby releasing the strands at those points. After the release of the clamp on the posts 23 and 25, the clamp on the central post 24: is actuated to release the strands by the engagement of the cam-face 47 with the roller 50 on the rod 31 mounted in the post 24.

As the thread or yarn and the associated strands are successively released, the twist imparted to the threads or yarn in making the same and the tendency of the separated strands to retwist when released, causes the associated strands to twist together when released by the clamps. The retwisting is also augmented by the operator manipulating the threads to run the twist of the same into the associated strands. In this way the ends of the threads or yarns are united in a smooth and even splice.

hat I claim is 1. In a thread-splicing machine, the combination of a support comprising a base plate and a series of vertical posts spaced apart on the base plate, with a clamp on each part including a movable engaging member, spring means normally actuating the movable member of each clamp to engage a thread strand, and a common means for actuating the ;movable members of the several clamps against the action of the spring means to operate the clamps to release the strands held thereby.

2. In a tlnread-splicing machine, the combination of a support comprising a base plate and a series of vertical posts spaced apart on the base plate, with a plurality of rods mounted in the support for vertical movement adjacent to the respective posts, a clamping member mounted on the upper end of each rod and extending over the upper end of the adjacent post, a spring normally op erating to move each rod downward to press the clamping member carried thereby onto the adjacent post to engage a thread strand, and a common means operable to raise the rods against the action of their springs to lift the clamping members from engagement with their respective posts to release the strands engaged thereby.

3. In a threadsplicing machine, the combination of a support comprising a base plate and a series of vertical posts spaced apart on the base plate and a horizontal flange projecting from the upper end of each post, the flange of each post and the base plate having vertically alined openings, with a rod vertically movable in said openings adjacent to each post and provided with an abutment at an intermediate part, a clamping member secured to the upper end of each rod to project over the adjacent flange, a spring coiled on each rod under compression between the abutment thereon and the flange of the ad jacent post, said spring normally operating to move the rod downward to press the clamping member carried by the rod onto the adjacent flange to engage a thread strand, and a common means operable to raise the rods against the action of their respective sprin s to lift the clamping members from the respective flanges to release the strands engaged thereby.

l. In a thread-splicing machine, the con1- bination of a support comprising a base plate and a series of vertical posts spaced apart on the base plate and a horizontal flange projecting from the upper end of each post; the flange of each post and the base plate having vertically alined openings, with a rod vertically movable in said openings adjacent to each post, a pin extending transversely through each rod, a roller jonrnalled on each rod, a. clamping member secured to the upper end of each rod to project over the adjacent flange, a spring coiled on each rod under compression between the pin extending theretheough and the flange of the adjacentpost, said spring normally operating to move the rod downward to press the clamping member carried thereby onto the adjacent flange to engage a thread strand, and a cam-plate movable on the base plate and having a series of cam-faces respectively engaging the rollers on the several rods, movement of the camplate in one direction through the eoaction of the can'i-faces and rollers operating to move the rods upwardly against the action of their springs to lift the clamping members from the respective flanges to release the strands engaged thereby.

5. In a thread splicing machine, the combination of a support comprising a base plate and a plurality of vertical posts spaced apart on the base plate and positioned in the same vertical plane, a series of normally closed clamps mounted on the upper ends of the posts and operative to engage the separated strands of a thread, means for actuating each of the clamps to release the strand engaged thereby and including an operating member adapted to be engaged by a cam-face, and a cam-plate reciprocative on the support and having a series of cam-faces respectively engaging the operating member so that movement of the cam-plate in one direction moves the operating members to actuate their respective clamps to release the engaged strands.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HENRY J. MURPHY. 

